Horopito, Kawakawa, and Lake Taupō Chinook Salmon
Horopito leaves carry a clean pepper heat with a citrus edge. Kawakawa adds a mild bitter-green note close to bay leaf. Both sit well on fatty fish. Lake Taupō Chinook salmon, a landlocked King Salmon, holds enough fat to take a dry spice crust and a short baste without drying out. The fish is seared skin-side down, finished with kawakawa butter, and plated on a smooth kumara purée. A watercress salad dressed with manuka honey and lemon keeps each bite sharp.
Ingredient List
Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4
The Fish
- 4 Chinook Salmon fillets: Skin on, pin bones removed, approximately 180g each, from Lake Taupō
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, for searing
The Horopito Crust
- 2 teaspoons ground dried horopito
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
The Kawakawa Butter
- 60g unsalted butter, softened
- 6 fresh kawakawa leaves, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried kawakawa if fresh is unavailable)
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of fine sea salt
The Kumara Purée
- 700g orange kumara, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
- 40g unsalted butter
- 80ml full-fat milk, warmed
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch of ground white pepper
The Watercress Salad
- 2 large handfuls watercress, thick stems removed, washed and dried
- 1 small fennel bulb, shaved thin on a mandoline
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon manuka honey
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
To Serve
- Lemon wedges
- Extra kawakawa leaves or microgreens, optional
Preparation and Cooking Method
1. Make the Kawakawa Butter
Mash the softened butter with chopped kawakawa, grated garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until the leaves are evenly distributed. Scrape onto a piece of baking paper, roll into a short log, and chill while you cook. The butter should be firm enough to slice by the time the fish is ready.
2. Cook the Kumara Purée
Place the kumara chunks in a pot, cover with cold water by 2cm, and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until a knife slides through with no resistance. Drain well and return the kumara to the hot pot for 1 minute to drive off surface steam. Add the butter, warm milk, sea salt, and white pepper. Mash until smooth, or pass through a ricer for a finer texture. Cover and keep warm over very low heat, stirring once or twice so a skin does not form.
3. Mix the Horopito Crust
Stir ground horopito, lemon zest, flaky salt, and 1 tablespoon neutral oil into a loose paste. Pat the salmon fillets dry on both sides with paper towels. Season the flesh lightly with the fine sea salt and black pepper. Spread the horopito paste over the flesh side only in a thin, even layer. Leave the skin bare and dry.
4. Dress the Salad
Whisk lemon juice, manuka honey, olive oil, and sea salt until the honey dissolves. Toss the watercress and shaved fennel with half the dressing just before plating so the leaves stay crisp. Hold the remaining dressing for the plate.
5. Sear the Salmon
Set a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat. Place the fillets skin-side down. Press each gently with a spatula for 10 seconds so the skin lies flat. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. The skin will brown and release when ready; if it sticks, wait another 20 seconds. Flip and cook the flesh side for 2 to 3 minutes. Internal temperature at the thickest part should reach 52°C. In the last 45 seconds, add three or four slices of the kawakawa butter to the pan and baste the fish. Transfer fillets to a warm plate, skin-side up, and rest for 3 minutes.
6. Plate
Spoon a bed of kumara purée onto each of four plates. Set one salmon fillet on the purée, skin-side up. Add a pile of watercress and fennel beside the fish. Drizzle the remaining dressing around the plate. Top the fish with a thin slice of leftover kawakawa butter so it melts at the table. Serve with lemon wedges.
Chef’s Notes for Success
- Horopito strength: Dried ground horopito varies by batch. Start with 1½ teaspoons if you have not used it before, taste a pinch, then add the rest. It builds heat after 30 seconds on the tongue.
- Kawakawa substitute: Fresh leaves are ideal. If only dried is available, use 1 teaspoon and steep it in the warm butter for 5 minutes, then strain before chilling the log.
- Skin dryness: Wipe the skin again after applying the crust. Moisture under the fillet steams the skin and stops it crisping.
- Kumara texture: Drain hard and steam off residual water in the hot pot. Wet kumara makes a loose purée that slides on the plate.
- Fillet thickness: Pieces thicker than 3cm at the head need 1 extra minute skin-side down. Pull thin tail sections earlier if sizes differ in the pan.
- Butter timing: Add the kawakawa butter only after the flesh side has had its first 2 minutes. Earlier and the milk solids brown too fast and turn bitter.
- Internal temperature: 52°C at the probe yields moist, opaque flakes. Resting brings the core near 54°C.
- Salad timing: Dress the watercress at the last minute. Honey-lemon dressing wilts the leaves within 10 minutes.
Lake Taupō Charters
Morning charters on Lake Taupō work the deep southern reaches where Chinook salmon in the 2 to 4kg range hold. Fish of that size yield thick fillets near 180g that take a horopito crust and a hot pan without breaking. We clean and ice your catch on board so the flesh stays firm enough for a clean skin-side sear. Rods, tackle, and cleaning stations are included.
Book your charter at greatlakefishingtours.club. Bring a cooler so your salmon stays at 4°C or below on the drive to the kitchen. Cold fish takes the crust evenly and gives a clean grill mark in the pan.
